Seven years in Kering Clean by Design program, the Group just announced the launch, in partnership  with the Apparel Impact Institute, Burberry and Stella McCartney, of a new initiative based in Italy that will establish a platform for manufacturers to coordinate, fund and scale environmental programs with measurable outcomes. Over 90% of Kering’s impact is outside the Group’s own operations according to the Environmental Profit & Loss account. To reach its target of a 40% EP&L reduction throughout all its supply chain by 2025, Kering has been engaging persistently with its suppliers on environmental performance. This is how the Group initially implemented Clean by Design in Italy, a program with economic and environmental impact, that aims at improving water and energy efficiency at textile mills.
From 2015 to 2018, the Kering Clean by Design program helped save 8,000 tons of CO2 per year, across 25 participating mills in Italy, including an average reduction of 19% of greenhouse gas emissions and a transition for all sites towards natural gas or wood instead of fuel oil. In 2017, three wool scouring and three silk reeling workshops applied the Clean by Design methodology in China, with even faster results: 5,000 tons of equivalent carbon were saved within a year. The following year, two further Italian denim manufacturers joined Clean by Design.
It is now time for Kering to scale up the initiative by joining forces with the Apparel Impact Institutes (Aii), Burberry and Stella McCartney. The coalition just announced the launch of a program aiming at weaving even further sustainable practices in Italy. An Italian leading environmental advocacy NGO will provide local coordination and support.
Aii and its partners will establish a platform for Italian manufacturers to coordinate, fund and scale environmental programs with measurable impact following Aii’s scientific guidelines.
The next phase is to recruit 10 to 20 manufacturers among the Kering Brands’ suppliers, to take part to the initiative and to invite more luxury brands to join in the effort. Kering is deeply convinced that only collaboration will drive an environmental footprint improvement within Italy fashion supply chain.
